A Touch to Cause A Spark
by Expo
Summary: The usual cat and mouse game doesn't play out like it usually does. This time is different and Izaya has been acting funny ever since. Rating set for content later. Shizaya.
1. His heart grew two sizes that day

**A/N: **This is all written under the assumption that they've never touched skin to skin. First story on here for three years, let's see how this goes. Multi chapter fic.

While writing this I listened to two songs:  
>Hold On by Angus and Julia Stone<p>

Hey You by Pony Pony Run Run

If you want to have a small playlist to have while reading. I didn't even know I was writing this until that last sentence. orz

* * *

><p>Izaya isn't the type to believe in things like people being made for one another. A part of a whole is what he'd come down to be, and that isn't good enough. A part is dependent on the other piece, decisions are made carelessly when it comes down to it, and many say that after you find your other half and lose it, it's worse than death. Sure there's the famous 'It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all', but there are many of the precious humans that he's dealt with who have either killed or been killed in the name of love, whether it be lost or for the fear of losing it.<p>

Such drastic measures caused by feeling for one person. It's hard to imagine, but there are the facts so it must be true. Orihara Izaya hasn't thought very hard on the subject when it came to himself and love, or so he thinks.

There have been dreams that were had on late nights, dreams that make you think you are missing something, striving for something, hoping for something. Dreams that you wake up in the middle of, but immediately forget, leaving nothing behind but the remnants of a warm feeling that you know you may never get back, continue to subconsciously strive for.

No, Orihara Izaya hasn't thought hard on the subject. Yet he continues to strive for something that he thinks will make him better, reaching out and clawing forward towards a better self, something that will make him the best. His attempts have made him the number one information broker in all of Tokyo, gained him his infamous status along with many enemies.

Which brings him to this.

"Ne~, Namie-san. You know what the downfall of any hero of any movie is?" Izaya cooed from his place on the couch, resting his head on his arms, looking over the back of the couch.

Namie glanced up from the file that she had open in front of her, and gave him an uninterested look before looking back down. "Namieee-saan?" came another coo.

"What is it?" she asked without looking up this time.

Picking his head up, a smirk came across his face replacing the false pout that was there only moments before. "I'm glad you asked. Well, the answer is their significant other! Isn't that right? You're thinking back, aren't you? You're thinking about how right I am, aren't you?" his grin widened, talking animatedly now.

"It's true, right?" Izaya sighed, putting his chin in his hand in mock thought.

"If I had one, people would jump all over the chance to bring me down. Just think! They'd be kidnapped, I'd get a ransom call, bones would be broken, they'd expect me to come after them so they could gang up on me, then I could make a heroic escape with an almost life ending injury. But at the end of the movie, I'd be there, recovered and the world would be right again." he finished, arms waving before coming back down to his sides.

Looking at his secretary, he took in her face. "Are you joking." she said, not asked.

"No, which is why we should say we're going out." Izaya replied, the side of his head in his hand again, the smirk back in place.

"Why the hell would I after that being said?" she asked, file flopping down in her lap so she didn't have to look over it to give him an annoyed look.

"So you would have if I didn't?" he asked, his face the same as before. Another look from the woman. "I suppose not. But just think, no one would be able to kidnap you, and if you did end up getting kidnapped, I could really care less about what they did to you, they'd believe I don't have a heart, they wouldn't bother messing with me!" laughter rang out through the office, stopping after a few moments.

"They'd be right for once, then?" she asked, expression unchanging through the outburst.

"Ow, Namie-san, that hurt." he singsonged, holding onto his chest above his heart dramatically.

"Sometimes I wonder if you'd know you truly cared about someone." she commented, bringing the file up and beginning to let her eyes scan over it once again.

"What's it like then, when you care about someone?" he played along, his chin in both hands now, waiting.

"It is many things." Namie said as if in passing, her full attention someplace else.

"Hmmm? And how do you know if you do?"

"If you care for someone? You are happy to see them doing well, not when they aren't," she looked up pointedly at this, "You would willingly offer to do something that would hinder yourself in order to help them-"

"Mmm? I thought it was that special someone who got your pulse racing, someone you can't get your mind off of, that makes you think really hard, mostly with your-"

"What you're talking about is sex."

"Namiee-saan, don't interrupt me, I could always fire you, you know." Izaya announced, twirling his finger in the air seemingly without thinking, getting up and pulling on his coat as he headed towards the door.

"Taking a walk." he stated, unlocking the door.

"You mean getting into trouble." she said when he pulled it open.

"Same thing, yeah?"

The door clicked shut after a small wave was thrown back without turning around to see her intently watching him go.

A group of men who were talking amongst themselves towards the back of an alleyway began to disperse, keeping their heads low and glancing around when they emerged from their dark meeting place.

Sitting up in a fire escape on one of the buildings that made the alley, a small figure shifted.

" Doing business out in public during the day?" a dulled frown turned down the edges of the figures mouth. Within the next minute there was nobody left in the alley, the streets bustling with people past it and a stray animal could be heard rummaging around in the garbage.

With a hop in his step, Izaya headed farther away from the alley, planning on risking going to Russia Sushi. The ootori was mostly worth it and he hadn't seen Shizuo in more than 2 weeks so the blanket of a false sense of security fell over him as he smiled to himself. Russia Sushi it is.

His stomach twisting with the promise of food, a smile twisted his face once again as he grabbed his hands behind his back and happily strolled in the direction of the unique restaurant.

Feeling a small tapping on his shoe with each step, he looked down while still walking to notice one of his shoes had become untied. "Ah." he lamented to himself, stopping in order to bend down and get it. No sooner had he stopped and begin to bend down did he feel rather than see something large blow past inches from head and basically crumple into the side of the building he had been walking by. Having frozen halfway reaching out to his shoe, he first glanced up at the crumpled vending machine before warily turning his attention to where said vending machine came from, knowing what was coming next.

"IIIzaaayaaaa-kuuun."

Yes, as expected, a sea of people who had parted at the sound of the crash framed the blond.

"Ahaha, that was a little too close you know, Shizu-chan." Izaya half said to himself and to the slowly approaching Shizuo.

"Not close enough, if you ask me." the blond responded though clenched teeth, a forgotten cigarette caught in between them.

Now ten feet away, Shizuo stopped, full attention on Izaya, standing with his hands clenched inside his pockets and face as composed as a mad mans. "Didn't I tell you never to set foot in Ikebukuro again?" the man asked with a faulty smile on his face.

On Izaya's side, when Shizuo had been saying the words he had mouth them at the same time, closing his eyes and bobbing his head like he was listening to a lecture he got often. Which was entirely true. Yeah, it probably wasn't the right thing to do, considering the trashcan that had been to Shizuo's left was now flying towards the dark haired boy.

Nearly evading the close attack, Izaya's face took on more of a strained smile in response to the violent reaction. "Now, now, Shizu-chan. I was just on my way out, you really do have the worst timing." a fake smirk came back on his face at the lie.

"Shut up, you'd be going to other way if you were leaving, Flea."

"A~aa~, Shizu-chan caught me."

Looking down with an exaggerated huff, when he looked back up there was a defensive edge to his appearance, his hand coming out of where it had been shoved deep in his pocket and pulled out his switchblade, pointed right at the other.

"Well, my business here is done anyway, I really must be going." he hedged, taking a few small steps towards the alley behind him. Without further ado, his next small step was followed with a quick turn as he whipped around and sprinted down the alley with both hands in his pockets.

"Tch- Flea, get back here!" the blond yelled, chasing after him at a decent pace, mostly keeping up with him. Rounding a corner, Izaya took an awkward step to try to avoid some junk on the pavement, stepping down on his untied shoelace when he did, making him stumble while trying to regain his balance.

Unfortunately the precious seconds that took allowed Shizuo to catch up to him, reach around and grab him by the collar of his shirt, then push him up against the wall. Cursing the sky above, he knew it was going to be impossible to leave unscathed at this point.

"Ah, Shizu-chan, aggressive today, aren't we?"

The carefully planned sentence used to distract him from what he was about to do wasn't all that carefully planned.

Reaching into his pocket, the smirk he had on before looking pained, he pulled out the switchblade and swung, hoping for it to connect so that he may be able to slip away. It didn't make it very far though before getting stopped.

Everything stopped.

Then started again, this time it seemed to pass frame by frame, everything muted and happening unbearably slow. Izaya's whole body seemed to just completely slow down altogether. At this point the only things he was entirely aware of was his hitched breathing, eyes having gone wide to half lidded, eyelids fluttering while he switched his gaze to the sky, and what seemed like electricity starting from his wrist slowly sparked each one of his cells to a whole new sense of being, both lightening and weighing his chest.

In reality, nothing extraordinary happened. When Izaya had begun to swing his knife towards Shizuo, the other man had reached up and grabbed a hold of his wrist mid attack. In mere seconds the Izaya in front of him went completely ridged before his body completely relaxed, the knife dropped to the ground and so would the red eyed boy if Shizuo didn't have a firm grip on the front of his shirt.

Head plopping back against the cold alley wall behind him, Izaya regarded the other with hazy vision, breathing coming out shallow now before a small part of the brain that inched past the mind deadening effect that had taken over him began to think that this is what it would feel like to be drugged.

'Does being drugged make you hear a small heartbeat and make you feel like you just came 3 times?'

"-ammit the hell are-"

"on, Flea? Huh?"

A voice that had been going on all the while broke through his haze a little bit. He wanted to say something.

"..haahh..."

But he felt that if he did there would be a lot more embarrassing noises being made and a lot less audible shallow breathing. Or maybe more.

The ground seemed to rush up to him as the firm hands that had been holding him up suddenly dropped him. The haze was still there but the sounds of the city and other people talking farther away slammed back into the background of his life, near deafening to the sound of silence and a pulsing heart.

"What...What did you do to me."

On his knees holding his wrist, the warmth and sparks that danced in his chest coated his throat and made him sound completely strung out. He wasn't looking up, just hunched over, breathing heavily and keeping his arm close.

"_Do to you_? Are you kidding me? I haven't done anything, you're-"

"Then what is this?" he could hear his voice cracking, but couldn't see how vulnerable he looked right then. Brows furrowed, his eyes held none of the heat they usually do, only confusion and something Shizuo couldn't decipher. His mouth stayed open after he finished the sentence, breathing slow and deep like he just ran a race, been holding his breath, recovering after a mind-blowing sex session-

Senses startling at the thought, the taller man felt the back of his neck heat with embarrassment completely against his will. He mentally kicked himself, but couldn't help his eyes widening at this side of Orihama Izaya that he's never seen before.

Face tightening with- anxiety? Fear? Realization? - Izaya staggered to his feet and stumbled out of the alley as quickly as possible.

Having absolutely no idea what just happened, Shizuo just watched him go, pulling out a cigarette when he could no longer see him.

The sound of a lighter was heard flicking in the alley long after the other man had left.


	2. All just a dream

Shorter chapter this time but quickly written as thanks for my two reviewers, I hope my story lives up to any expectations you may have. :)

* * *

><p>Dreams are said to sometimes be the dreamer's suppressed thoughts or desires, playing out in their head as if to taunt them into making them real. A sort of subconscious tempting of what could be possible if you could only do this, or if this had happened, or if you had the courage to say this. Whatever 'this' is, your mind fills it in.<p>

However, there's always a point after you wake up when the dream gets hazy, you're grasping at its threads, and the more you think about the details the more the details seem to disappear. The loss may be a defense mechanism this species developed in order to not get the real world confused with the one you can only dream of.

Or it's the barriers of the person's mind rejecting their own self. Humans do tend to do that.

It seems there aren't a lot of exceptions to that...

He could feel a warm chest pressed against his back and an arm draped over the bottom of his ribcage, bent up and limply resting in front of Izaya's chest.

Slowly opening his eyes he felt the warmth, the comfort of feeling safe for once in his life. Blinking lazily, his gaze shifted as he tilted his chin down to see what was touching his chest with feather-like sensations.

Moving his own arm that hung over the one that held him, he gently touched the back of the hand as if to test its reality. Confident that it wouldn't disappear, he laced his fingers in between the others, feeling them respond by tightly gripping his and pull their joined hands against Izaya's chest, right above his heart. A sleepy smile formed on his blank face, and Izaya closed his eyes.

It was very simple and anticlimactic.

.

..

...

For what seems like the second time, Izaya opened his eyes. Without knowing why, he tilted his chin down and looked at his hand that rested on the bed up by his heart. The warm feeling in his chest that he seemed to wake up with began to fade away, and a sleepy frown formed on his newly awoken face.

Turning so that he was laying on his stomach instead of his side, he dropped his head so that his face was completely submerged in a pillow.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something." he mumbled.

-14 Hours Ago-

"...Izaya?"

In the doorway of Shinra's apartment stood a disheveled looking information broker, a hand weakly covering his mouth, and the other gripping his heart like it pained him.

Panicked by the sight in front of him, he took in everything, the downturned eyebrows giving emotion to eyes that are usually masked so well, and the small audible breathing sounds that are escaping past the hand over his mouth.

"Come in, what happened, what's wrong?" the doctor asked, heralding in his now patient pulling out a chair as he continued into his home ahead of Izaya, gesturing him to sit down.

"I- ah. My-my heart-hahh...I think."

"Was it a pain in your chest, like someone had grabbed hold of your heart?" the doctor called while he gather some supplies from across the room.

"Nno, just. It started beating really fast and my chest felt really heavy, everything ahh. Slowed down, and I couldn't nn..hear anything." Izaya tried to explain, not exactly knowing what was going on and immediately rethinking coming here. It was probably nothing, he tells himself as the new sensation that settled in his chest continued to send sparks under his skin.

"Nnn?" Shinra hummed while thinking of possible ideas. "What were you doing, anyway?" the other asked, coming back with a box of medical supplies. Putting a stethoscope into his ears and lifting up the black shirt to listen to his heart beat, he took in Izaya's twitching grip on the arm of the chair he sat on. It seemed like he didn't even know he was doing it.

"Shizu-chan found me today. When I was running..ah I tripped over my fucking shoelace, what a joke." he sighed out, mouth closed now but chest raising and falling with deep breaths.

"He caught you?" Shinra asked, looking genuinely surprised.

Giving him a look that meant that this line of questioning should be kept on the same track as trying to figure out what happened to him, Shinra gave him a semi-apologetic smile but still expected an answer.

"Mmm. I didn't exactly think my vacation from Shizu-chan's violence would last only two weeks." After this there was a dramatic sigh that Shinra saw as a sign that the other was starting to get a hold of himself and his defenses were going back up. "I was going to milk that underground status for as long as I could, trust Shizuo to wake up earlier than usual on his day off." This he said in a small, quick, and pained voice, looking to his left in mild annoyance, the strained smile never leaving his face.

"What symptoms did you experience, exactly?" Shinra asked, apparently done with listening to his heart and lungs took out the stethoscope from his ears.

"My vision went hazy, I couldn't stand up, like all the strength was sucked from my muscles...ah..I couldn't hear anything but my own breathing and a heartbeat. My breathing went haywire, like every breath I took sparked a sensation all over my body. My..my wrist and arm were tingling I suppose." He finished, looking at said wrist like it had betrayed him by working for the enemy.

"Hey, Shinra, I'm starting to believe I'm growing a second head, so if you'd stop staring-"

"R-Right, yes, well I'm not exactly sure about the temporary deafness, but the rest of your symptoms go with a panic attack."

"You're telling me I had a panic attack?"

"Now, now, don't look at me like that. That's the only scientific reason I can give you for all of them that isn't that bad."

"What's the other possibilities."

"Well, you have some symptoms for multiple diseases, but none that would give you all of those at the same time, usually they're only experienced one at a time. Trust me Izaya-san, my earlier assessment is the most likely. Though-...the way you describe them, I haven't really heard of..."

Turning his head to look at him instead of out one of the large side windows overlooking the city, he gave Shinra a blank faced frown.

"What?"

"No, nothing, it's nothing."

Minutes later, Izaya took his leave. A few more minutes later, Celty came in alongside her bike.

"Ah, Celty!~" Shinra exclaimed, walking towards her with his arms outstretched. When he got close she stopped typing on her PDA and made it so that it was right in front of his face, stopping him at arms length.

**[I saw Izaya downstairs when he exited the elevator. Did something happen?]**

"Celty, you just got home, why don't you come give me a hug or a ki-" A sharp jab to the stomach stopped him mid sentence, causing a pained smile to appear on his face as he held where she hit him.

"A-Ahaha, I guess not. " Straightening up a little bit, he started walking back into the apartment, listening while she propped her bike against the entryway and followed in after him, joining him on the couch he had fallen into moments before.

"You should have seen it, Celty. It was like a person I've never seen before suddenly emerged from somewhere he's been hiding it."

While he was talking, he laced his hands together and placed them behind his head, looking up at the ceiling in thought.

**[Did he say anything?]**

"He said he came from one of those fights with Shizuo, I suppose. This time Shizuo had caught up to him, and when he did Izaya began to have panic attack symptoms."

**[You aren't sure?]**

"How he described it there were some things that coincide with what occurs when one has a panic attack, but...panic attacks usually have a trigger, right? He didn't mention being afraid and in the state he was in I would have seen it on his face. No, I just... Maybe you could talk to Shizuo tomorrow?"

After nodding an affirmative, they fell into a comfortable silence.

...

..

.

Opening his eyes, Shizuo held onto a pillow he had grabbed in his sleep in the middle of the night. Noticing his hand had a firm hold on one side of the soft plush, he relaxed it, feeling the air in his room begin to cool his heated palm.

"I had that dream again...huh?"

Rolling onto his back to stare up at the ceiling, he silently wished he could remember what his mind has retreated to off and on ever since he could remember dreaming. It's been a few months since the last time it's happened, but it always ends the same. Waking up with a feeling set deep in his chest, and truly knowing he shouldn't have woken up alone.


	3. Wrong number

I always have a picture of what the person would look like, how their body would be moving and small details that make it real. I keep that in mind when I'm writing, trying to make it sound fluid and not forced. Sometimes I think I'm just cluttering everything.

I hate waiting for updates. Even for my own story, is that sad? It's like I'm my own reader, but I'm never satisfied. I hope you enjoy. ~

* * *

><p><em>"I feel like I'm forgetting something..." <em>

Bringing half his face up out of the pillow, he blinked up into the morning light that shone through the curtains on the window above the head of his bed. "Mmmm" he sleepily hummed, not really ready to get up yet, shifting slightly where he lay.

An uncomfortable feeling in his groin made him pause, slowly opening his eyes with reluctance. Izaya pushed himself up a little bit and looked down, forehead resting on his pillow as he went into a half push-up position.

Sighing, he rolled back onto his side, willing it to go away. After a minute of laying there with absolutely no success, he thought about a shower. Getting up with an air of sleepy annoyance, he padded to the bathroom, opening a cabinet when he got there and brought out a towel which he placed on the sink.

Leaning against said sink, he stared at the shower with a scowl. Hating the idea of being cold, he opted instead for a warm shower, turning everything on so he could get this over with. Shedding the briefs he slept in, he watched as the steam began to fog up the glass before stepping in.

Easing himself into the steady stream, he let out a contented sigh as he finally took himself in hand. Turning down the burning heat to a more dull with the other hand, his eyes slipped closed when his hand began to move, back of his head against one of the shower walls while he let his mind go blank.

Izaya's breathing began to pick up the pace after a few minutes, his hand following suit. Something began to nag at him from the back of his mind but he was too close, he could feel the pressure start to build, he was right there, right- Eyes shooting open when he finally recognized what was happening, his mouth gapping in a silent scream, every muscle in his body tightened before melting into the side of the shower.

The sparks that had flew up his spine to the back of his skull began to subside, and he became aware of the sounds of the shower along with his heavy breathing. It was too familiar, this feeling.

Stepping under the stream of water so that the evidence of what just occurred could be thoroughly washed away, his mind was spinning. It was just like before, albeit less intense and had nothing to do with sexual release, but...

Mind sending him what seemed to be a hint, he suddenly recalled when his attack was stopped, the knife dropping from his hands, Shizuo's hand on his wrist. His mind focused on that for a while as he scrubbed at his hair, suds falling from his hands to the floor before disappearing.

It all started with that touch like electricity, sending those sparks all up my arm. It was like just now, only the pressure wasn't in my groin it was in my chest, my lungs, my-

His thought made his mind sputter, ceasing his scrubbing.

Shizuo he-...

No. No use staying on this line of thought if he didn't have proof it wasn't something else. Maybe he was just hungry.

Narrowing his eyes at his own attempt at ignorance, he sighed for the umpteenth time that morning at rinsed off, thoroughly dried off in the steam filled room, and left the towel draped over his head when he padded back towards his bed. Sprawling on top of the sheets in all his naked glory, he lay there for a little while waiting for his heated skin to cool down from the colder air in the room.

Feeling a little more comfortable now, Izaya stood and got dressed. He had a few things to take care of.

...

..

.

..

...

The day started as any other day. If he were anyone else, the monotony would leave them feeling unfulfilled, but for Heiwajima Shizuo it was the only part of his life that he felt was quiet and peaceful. For someone who claims to dislike violence he continues to surround himself in it. When other people were involved something is usually said or done that keeps the human race as a whole an ugly bunch.

Yeah. These times by himself were peaceful and quiet.

He liked it that way. He really did.

He would wake up and sit on the edge of the mattress, running a hand through his bed slept hair. Opening up a window his apartment had he'd rest his forearms on the sill, leaning out and looking up towards the sky with a cigarette dangling between his lips. Not a glance would be spared down to see the few people walking by the street his window overlooks, just as not a glance is spared up to see him. None of them concern him.

Next is a trip to the sink, bending over with the faucet on and staring at the water he had cupped in his hands. Slashing it on his face and rubbing whatever sleep remained, he arched body back up, droplets of water that had clung to the tips of his hair curving in the air.

Yeah. He felt refreshed. Time to face the day.

Got dressed, bowtie in place, glasses tucked in breast pocket, phone resting in right front pants pocket. Time to head out. On the way to the door he grabbed a small packaged loaf of bread he had bought from the bakery he walks by on the way home, unwrapping the top half on the way to meet up with Tom and leaned in for a first bite.

A man rounding the corner from another street bumped into his arm, making it go up towards his face. When he took his bite, the sweet cream filling began to run down the side of his face. Eyebrow twitching slightly he chewed the massive bite he'd accidently taken, using one of his fingers to wipe off the cream that had gone out of the corner of his mouth. When he was done chewing he stuck it in his mouth, licking off the cream.

The sweetness made his eyebrow stop ticking, and closed his eyes in appreciation of the distraction.

A random passerby's hand brushed the back of his, making his fingers twitch but in all he just put it in his pocket and kept walking. Eyes open, he waited with the crowd for the pedestrian walk light to change, taking bites of his breakfast intermittently and thinking of nothing in particular.

That was about the time somebody walked behind him through the crowd, a finger lightly making a line from one side of the back of his neck to the other.

Goosebumps going up his arms along with the chill that ran down his spine caused him to turn his head with a glint in his eye, watching a brunet boy's head bob further away, a phone to one ear. Reaching a hand up to rub away the feeling of the person's touch, a magnificent scowl formed on his face.

It seems like the day wasn't starting off as well as he'd hoped.

But the light changed, and the crowd began to move, forcing him and the new air of his foul mood along with it.

People walking the other way began to walk passed. With the hand not holding the bread he put on his sunglasses, afterwards shoving it back into his pocket. Looking down at his food, he began to lift it back to his mouth-

when someone walking the other way through the crowd bumped into the shoulder not attached to the hand holding his food. Still walking, Shizuo glanced behind him to see the man who just bumped into him hang up his phone and continue on his way.

Right before turning back around someone from the other side full on stroked his wrist.

Coming to a complete stop, Shizuo turned to go after the man who he also saw say a few words before hanging up his phone. Following him, he threw the last bite of his bread into a passing trashcan before reaching out and plucking the small phone from the man's fingers while the other had been sliding it into his pocket.

The small nameless man turned around alarmed, about to say something until he looked up and saw who exactly it was standing behind him. "H-Haha, it's all yours" hands raised up in defeat, the man turned tail and ran.

"Thanks." Shizuo murmured, flipping open the cell and pressing redial, he watched it ring for a moment before immediately being picked up. Watching a second, then another get ticked by on the phones screen, he raised the earpiece up.

"Shi~zu~chan.~ Long time no see, hm?"

"Flea, what the hell are you up to?"

"Aw, can't I just say good morning?"

"No."

"Shizu-chan isn't any fun."

"Cut the crap, louse. All any of this is doing is pissing me off, is that your plan?"

"Mmm no, but I'll consider it a bonus! Just trying to test a theory."

"Yeah? And how'd that go?" he really didn't care at this point, looking around himself he tried to find where Izaya was. 'Long time no see'...huh? He had to be around here somewhere.

"It didn't go anywhere. Hm? Why so interested?"

"I couldn't care less, really."

"Too bad then. Try a little to your left, Shizu-chan."

Gaze darting over, their eyes locked a whole block away from one another.

"See ya later!~"

The Izaya from down the block closed his phone and disappeared around the corner he was standing next to. By the time Shizuo ran over there wasn't any trace of him. Growling in frustration, he punched the nearest hard surface, making a nice dent in a metal bench.

An hour later the blond was gone, off already with Tom, snapping way too easily in the bad mood he was in.

Coming out from his hiding place, Izaya walked back to the corner he had been standing by, watching his precious humans pass him by.

His theory that Shizuo's touch caused what happened to happen hadn't been disproved. He himself had yet to touch him again, but so far the study group seemed promising. Touching him again seemed like it would do nothing but bring him closer to what Shizuo has been trying to do to him for years.

But why is it that the tone, the reactions, and the anger he cased that was once a source of such entertainment from him now make his chest tighten.

Pulling out his phone to check the time, he began to head back home.

...

..

.

..

...

_beepbeepbeep!~_

Pulling out his own phone, Shizuo flicked open the screen and opened the mail he just received. The guy he had been holding against the wall continued to grovel and start again with his web of lies that one generally pulls out when they're threatened with Shizuo, squirming and pleading with Tom- who was by Shizuo's side- to give him another week.

Eyebrows knotting together in confusion, his eyes scanned the mail again.

"Hm? Who's it from?"

" 'Dunno."

"Huh?" Leaning over to look with slight curiosity, he also scanned the small mail Shizuo had been sent.

"Wrong number?"

" 'Spose so." he said, mentally shrugging it off and absentmindedly tossing the man he held into a bag of garbage that lay nearby. He decided to ignore it and flicked the phone closed.

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, T, don't stay mad at me forever, kay? You know I don't mean the things I say, right? <em>

_ -P"_


	4. Truth be told

A thanks to all who are reading and enjoying and a sorry for the slow update. :)

* * *

><p>A door open and closed, lazy footsteps heading deeper into the apartment.<p>

"I'm hooome!" the dark haired boy sing-songed, stepping into the living area with his shoes still on, walking farther and farther into the living space that was completely foreign to him until he got to where he was heading.

"Ah, Shizu-chan, you're here! Asleep already? I'm disappointed, I was hoping you were staying up, worrying about my safety out in the big bad world, waiting for my return so you can lecture me about what late night precautions to take, who to avoid-"

During the whole spiel Izaya's eyes were closed, arms inching up into a 'What're ya gunna do?' gesture, before finally stopping himself and opening his eyes, arms falling to his sides. His face was composed now except for a small smirk that just couldn't hide itself while he got to his knees and propped both elbows on the edge of the bed, side of his head in his hand.

Shizuo, on the other hand, was sprawled out on the bed looking for all the worlds like he had just walked in, fell back and passed out. His chest evenly rose and fell, hair disheveled where he lay.

"Shizu-chan, did you get into a fight?" Izaya murmured in a tone that only a worrying parent would use for their child.

"That does look like one nasty bruise blooming- ah, your head is bleeding." he commented, chin now in hand as he looked directly at the other man's face, swelling occurring on one side of his jaw. A streak of blood matted a few strands of hair on the other side, blood looking like it had been freshly smeared off, leaving a stain down to his neck.

"Mmm, and your outfit seems to be a little worse for wear, don't you think? Cut on your arm, rip in the pants leg, even looks like your bow tie is missing."

After that hung in the air for a moment, his thoughtful humming stopped, a wide grin completely replacing any other expression he might have had.

"I did tell them to be gentle."

...

..

.

..

...

Sitting behind his work desk he absentmindedly began to push himself around in his chair, gaze up but not seeing.

He was about to start bitching about nothing in particular, stopping the chair from spinning in order to look Namie in the eye, when he realized he was alone.

"Too early, hmm?" he said under his breath, lolling his head to the side to glance at the digital clock in the corner of his computer screen. Only 6:58 a.m.

Only a day since the last time he saw Shizuo, he hadn't stopped planning how he'd get close enough to touch the monster. Whatever it happened to be he had to have enough time to get out in case...it actually happened again. And to that he let out a dark chuckle. Whatever happened he's not going to like it. He'll either be proven right, in that case he had no idea what he'd do, or he'll be proven wrong and feel like he's going insane. Or maybe he'll feel the same either way.

Putting his face into his hands, he scrubbed his tired eyes, sighing before moving one hand away, reaching for his cell phone and dialing a number.

"Yeah, it's me. I need a couple guys to go pick up somebody."

He went on to speak as if this whole conversation was dull. Said the location, what time, and a description. Izaya was given the number of one of the three people sent out to go 'collect his friend' and hung up.

Twenty minutes passed of the work he should be doing for clients, the end of which he picked his cell phone back up and dialed the number he was given.

"Hello- yes. Yes that's me. You're at the spot I told you? ...Yes. If all goes according to plan I need you to take him to the second address given to you...Use your best judgment, I'm sure you've heard of the person you're going to be collecting- If you can't handle it, then I suppose-...Right." he mumbled the last word under his breath, the person on the other line having already disconnected the call.

Swiveling around to look right out the window behind him, Izaya let out a huff of annoyance, wondering if this feeling coiling in his stomach was excitement or apprehension.

For the next thirty minutes he continued to work before saving the files to the appropriate places, turning off his monitor, and grabbing his coat.

He was halfway to Shizuo's apartment before he realized he left his trusty switchblade on his desk, mentally shrugging off the anxiety it built within him by telling himself that if all had gone according to plan he wouldn't even need it. He'd walk in, touch him, leave. Shizuo should be so drugged he'd wake up in an hour at the very least.

With the thought in mind he continued with a spring in his step and mood greatly lifted, humming under his breath as he climbed the stairs to his destination.

Getting up from his position on the floor, he instead took a seat on the edge, watching Shizuo's face closely. His face looked peaceful when he wasn't glaring at him. His insides continued to coil around themselves, this time with more of a pain at his recent thought, causing a frown to grace his face.

Glancing down at the exposed skin that his hand showed Izaya, he hesitantly shifted his weight off of his right arm, reaching over until he could feel the body heat rising from the other man's palm, calling him closer and making him want to-...

Subconsciously taking in a deep breath, his fingers lowered over Shizuo's, skin touching skin.

Instead of a spark, what felt like pure energy traveled up his arm in an instant, his mouth falling open and the breath he brought in coming out in a strangled exhale.

The sounds of the city suddenly came back to him, making him become aware that instead of on the bed he was sitting on the floor, knees up and elbows resting on them, hands shielding his face from the world around him.

Despite the barrier his eyes felt impossibly wide, his chest heaved and a warm gust of air stopped by his hands blew by his face.

Movement on the bed made the breath catch in his through however, the rustling of the sheets like a spike in his nerves. Moving a few fingers out of the way he peered through them in shock to see a just as confused Shizuo staring down at him, looking completely sober and like he wanted to ask what the hell he's up to.

...

..

.

..

...

"You want it to be strong?" A weasly looking man spoke into the mouthpiece of his phone, watched by two other men who looked like they woke up on the wrong side of the law_. _

"Can't handle it? I don't know who you think you're talking to, but no matter how strong they say he is, we'll be able to bring him down. We'll have him at the location you specified, don't you worry. Pretty soon you'll be getting our call, and I expect our money to be ready, heh." The phone was closed, and the men gathered around the first one.

"Hey, we'll be able to handle it, right-?"

"Of course we will, moron, shut up and get the mask ready, the information broker said he heads to work at around this time."

"What are we looking for again?"

"Are you kidding me? Do you even live in this city?" the man who was filling the mask asks, screwing the cap back onto the bottle

"Isn't that pretty suspicious to just stand around like this in the park...?"

"We won't be here long, just keep looking out for him, he should be here any second."

"...What are we looking for?"

"Are you kiddi-"

"You never answered!"

Getting frustrated, the two men who hadn't been talking on the phone turned to one another as they began to argue, off in their own little world.

"Like I said, I wouldn't have asked if I would just get a straight answer from either of you!"

"For the third time today, we're looking out for a blond man who wears a bartender outfit!"

"Yo."

"Not right now, buddy, we're in the middle of something. Now, I'm not going to repeat it again, so make sure you-..."

The two of them stopped, still looking at one another before turning back to the man who had interrupted them.

"A-Ah, b-boss-!"

"Huh, what-"

Turning from where he'd been looking for where they were told he would be coming from, the trio's leader turned to see exactly the man they were looking for.

"...Buddy?" the tall man asked in a low voice, startling the three of them out of their thoughts as they watched an eyebrow tick from above the man's tinted sunglasses.

"T-The mask!" The man who had been yelling at the other said with fear in his voice, knowing that if they didn't do something soon-

Shizuo took a step closer to them, can of soda he had bought making crinkling noises as his hands began to tighten around it.

The man who was in charge of the mask flinched at the step, panicking and pulling out the bottle he had, chucking it right at Shizuo's head.

It hit the left side of his forehead, the impact stopping his approach for a moment. The glass bottle hadn't broken when it hit him but farther back behind him when it collided with the pavement, shattering everywhere.

A small streak of blood dripped down from his temple, rolling down and staining his white shirt.

"NnnnNNNNNAAAAUHHH"

Picking up the man who threw the bottle at him, he quickly tossed him at the one who was arguing with him, wasting no time by making his way to the 'boss' last. Taking him by the lapels of his jacket he pushed him up off the ground and against the nearest hard surface, causing the man to wince and prepare for the worst.

Shizuo on the other hand had his rage held back by a thread, murder in his eyes as he spoke.

"Who ordered you to do this?" he growled, watching the man stop wincing and give him an incredulous look.

"I-It was the information broker! He was going to have us drug you and bring you to some apartment!"

"What? What apartment?" he grit out, pushing the other man harder in the wall, watching him wince yet again.

The 'boss' told him.

Out of surprise from the response more than satisfaction that his question was answered, he let his grip slip, the man falling to the ground but not moving from the spot.

"You're going to act like you've succeeded, then." Shizuo said simply, turning away slightly and bringing out his pack of cigarettes, looking up in thought as the man he had been holding against the wall just gave him another look of genuine surprise.

"What, you want me to-"

Turning his attention back to him with an unlit cigarette between his teeth he set his murderous gaze on him once again.

"'d I stutter?"

"N-No, it's just-"

"Huh?"

"Nothing! It's nothing!" he murmured, watching him go, taking off his tie as he went. That was about the time he noticed one of two men getting up and running towards Shizuo in a craze, lashing out when he got close enough.

Shizuo's head suddenly snapping to the side from the impact, the man stood with his fist clenched in front of the blond, huffing and puffing, watching the other just stand there completely still.

That is until his head began to tilt back, the rage set back in his eyes.

And that was about the time a street sign that had just been replaced that morning became unearthed and swung.

About twenty minutes later he made it back to his apartment, walked straight into his bedroom, fell back, and pretended to look passed out. After a couple moments of this though he opened his eyes and stared at the familiar ceiling.

'What could he possibly gain from this...finally getting rid of me...huh?'

...

..

.

..

...

Up and walking towards the other who began to back away across the floor, Shizuo grabbed him by the collar as he was walking passed, hauling him up to shaky legs and pinning him between the wall and his hand, bodies separated by a good foot or so.

"What the _hell _are you up to, flea?" Shizuo asked, only a trace amount of anger in his voice but most part confused and shocked.

Confused that he didn't find that Izaya hadn't come at him with his switchblade when he thought he was out of it, and shocked by feeling a light touch on his hand and then the sound of a body roughly flopping onto his floor.

This is not how he thought this was going to play out.

"You were...faking the whole time? I could have killed you..." Izaya said, sounding breathless and mild confusion crept into his voice.

"You of all people should know I don't die easily."

The hand that was pressing firmly against Izaya's chest felt like it was emanating heat, soaking through his shirt and to his skin. This all suddenly felt like a terrible idea.

A finger slipped from where it was on the collar of his shirt when Izaya shifted uncomfortably, the digit barely pressing against the skin near the top of his sternum.

This time. This time was different. Instead of feeling breathless, it felt like the source of energy he had in order to breath came from the point their skin was in contact. Like without this person connected to himself he would slowly fade away.

Mind clearing and the background noise fading out, he could hear the now pleasant thumping of a heartbeat great him in the silence. Grimace disappearing from his face, a genuine smile gently pulled at the corner of his lips, eyes almost falling closed as he comfortably stared at the man before him.

That man, at that moment, was wondering who Izaya had just transformed into. This isn't the Izaya he knew...was it?

Arms that had been limp by his side slowly began to rise, up and towards Shizuo's face. Not once did Shizuo glance at them, gaze locked with the man in front of him.

Izaya's gaze began to wander from the blond's eyes though, his head tilting to the side as he looked at the bruise forming on his face, one of his hands coming up and hoving over it. The other hand came up and hovered near the other side where blood still clumped his hair messily, gaze flicking over to look at that as well before settling back on the eyes before him.

"...Do you believe in me, do you trust me?" After this he gives a sad smile, tilting his head back to the side once again. "Nobody does, not with their life, only with information." A glance up at the blood. "I could have killed you so many times, I could have killed you just three minutes ago." Gingerly he began to move his hand closer to the man's head but stopped himself.

"But I can't."

The blonde's eyes widened, causing Izaya's small smile to grow a little.

"You're the only interesting thing in my life that isn't corrupted by the world."

Seemingly at the thought, the hand that was so close to caressing the skin by the other's bruise flinched away. Both arms hesitated for a moment where they were before falling back to his sides


End file.
